India, China agree to status quo in Ladakh: MEA

India, China agree to status quo in Ladakh: MEA

India and China have agreed to restore status quo, as it was prior to April 15, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and flag meetings have been held to confirm the arrangements, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said Monday.

"The governments of India and China have agreed to restore status quo ante along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the India-China boundary as it existed prior to April 15, 2013," MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

"Flag meetings have been held to work out the modalities and to confirm the arrangements," he said.

He said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid would visit China May 9-10.

"India's External Affairs Minister Khurshid will pay an official visit to the People's Republic of China on May 9-10," Akbaruddin said on Twitter.

"India, China foreign ministers to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues and proposed visit to India of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang," he added.

India and China Sunday ended the 20-day border stand-off by agreeing to pull back their troops to their respective positions prior to April 15 - when Chinese troops had intruded 19 km on the Indian side of the LAC in Ladakh's Depsang area.

Chinese troops had entered the Indian side of the LAC - the de-facto border - and pitched tents, causing concern in India. Indian troops also moved troops closer to the area.

After prolonged negotiations, Indian and Chinese soldiers Sunday evening pulled back to positions that existed prior to April 15.

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